I recommend that you read the 2003 Open Letter first before you read his follow up "Open Letter" (spring 2009) below.

I first read that letter when I entered the industry in early 2005. I was shocked at the attitude displayed by certain members of the International Nordic Walking community. I had already been communicating with Tom Rutlin and I was so impressed by the passion and integrity of the man, that he played a significant role in my decision to pursue, what at the time was my 'fledgling interest' in Nordic Walking. My respect for and appreciation of Tom Rutlin has not diminished since that time, infact it has continued to grow.

Please note: Tom wrote the 'spring 2009' 'Open Letter' prior to the recenthighly succesful ground breaking 'Santa Monica' Nordic Walking Expo, to which heand others leaders in the North American Nordic Walking industry made significant contributions. The event was organised and co-ordinated by INWA's representatives in North America - NWNA (Nordic Walking North America).

"On Bringing Nordic Walking to Its Full Potential – A Call for Unity: Tom Rutlin's second "open letter" to the Nordic Walking community)".

"In the early part of the first decade of the new millennium, it looked asthough Nordic walking was destined to dwarf like a tsunami the "running/fitnessboom" that took place in the last decades of the twentieth century. I stillhappen to think that it will happen, but right now much of the wind seems tohave gone out of the Nordic walking movement's sails.

Fortunately, the intrinsic value of fitness walking with poles is so tremendousthat the sudden doldrums in which the movement seems to be at least somewhatstalled will most certainly be temporary. How long it will take for the windsto pick up so that Nordic walking can continue a full speed sail toward its fullpotential is, in my opinion, greatly dependent on all those within the movementbeginning, for the first time, to work together on a shared message of promotingNordic walking to the rest of the world.

Unfortunately, the Nordic walking (NW) movement has, to this point, fallenvictim to far too much internal division and pulling in too often self-servingdirections. Instead of all involved forming any real "association" or unionfrom the beginning to work together to promote the incredible health and fitnessbenefits of walking with poles (of almost any design and utilizing anyreasonable, proven technique), the movement has, it seems, at least seriouslywounded the goose that was laying the NW golden eggs in a foolish attempt tomake the goose lay more eggs in one manufacturer's or organization's nest thanin any others.

You'll notice I didn't say that the movement has "killed the goose that laid thegolden egg" (I believe people all around the NW globe are familiar with thefable of the goose that laid the golden egg. In the English language, "Killingthe golden goose" has become a metaphor for any short-sighted action that maybring an immediate reward, but will ultimately prove disastrous.) I remain veryoptimistic about the future of fitness walking with poles. I also happen tobelieve that "Nordic walking" is the term that holds the most promise forhelping the movement finally unite behind -- and begin working together -- toreach its fullest potential.

That may seem surprising coming from someone who has all too often been said tobe promoting something that is "not even Nordic walking", but by INWA's owndefinition of Nordic walking as "fitness walking with specially designed poles",my "Exerstriding" (a word I coined for an activity with no other existing nameback in mid 80s) and Marko Kantaneva's "pole walking" or "Sauvakevely" (whichpreceded Exel's coining of the term "Nordic walking" by about three years) areindeed Nordic walking -- and so are any other techniques of fitness walking withspecially designed poles that people may now be promoting (or any that may belegitimately promoted in the future).

The divisions that have characterized the NW movement to date have causedconfusion among the non Nordic walking public, as well as large numbers ofcurrent Nordic walkers and the media -- both of whom will play a crucial role ineventually informing the masses around the globe of the huge potential fitnesswalking with poles has for their health, well being, and -- I suggest of equalimportance -- the enjoyment of the exercise.

It's time for those of us within the movement to put a halt to the squabblingand scrambling for the largest share of the few dozen golden eggs the NWmovement has so far produced, and realize that if we can unite and begin to worktogether to build the movement to its fullest potential, there will soon be agiant pile of golden eggs, as well as countless millions more people around theglobe benefiting from this exercise form.

Many in the "industry" have to this point spent far too much time and energytrying to disparage other people's offerings to convince just a few millionNWers to buy their brand or service, and not another. And NW associations havetoo often spent their limited resources seeking to carve out the largest pieceof a small NW community pie rather than working to grow the community that canever-expand the NW pie.

NW manufacturers and organizations have tried to convince people that onlyequipment of a certain design, with certain features and the technique theyalign themselves with, can make NW a fulfilling and beneficial experience. Thishas severely limited the growth of the movement. Rather than competing for thelargest piece of a 10+ million participant Nordic walking pie, we might all havebeen far better off had we been working together to grow the pie to what couldhave easily have been well over 100 million participants by now.

The truth is that walking with quality poles of just about any design, andutilizing any of the well thought out and tested techniques being offered, canmake a NW experience both greatly beneficial and highly addicting. The passionthat currently exists within the NW community is not the product of any certainkind of poles and of following any one regimented technique. There should bewithin the NW world different strokes (poles and equipment) for different folks!

The differences of opinion that exist within the NW community on issues ofequipment and technique should be what make the movement vital and interestingto those within the movement rather than being the fulcrum that has tended totear the movement apart. And the exciting choices among the many "cool"equipment designs and features and different techniques offering differentbenefits and experiences should be the sources of energy and excitement thatdraw both the media and the rest of the world toward this wonderfullife-changing activity!

Manufacturers must not be afraid to let the growing NW community make their ownchoices from a full menu of pole designs and features based upon their variousand intrinsic merits. (If "your" poles really are better, they will outsellothers in an ever expanding marketplace.). And the NW organizations wouldbenefit themselves and those they seek to bring into the NW movement byreplacing their limited menu of technique offerings with a full menu ofintelligent technique and equipment options from which "newbies" can choose whatresonates best with each of them, and those which best help them meet theirgoals of seeking maximum fitness results and a positive, addicting NWexperience.

It is past time that the Nordic walking establishment stop attempting to simplyexploit the market, and instead begin focusing on cooperatively serving andexpanding the Nordic walking community. The eventual outcome of Exel's historyof control and exclusion, as well as attempting to stifle rather than allow aninevitable evolution of the activity, should serve as a warning to the movementof the long term downside of exploiting and attempting to "control" the marketrather than attempting to actually serve the movement.

There is an old saying that "a rising tide will lift all boats". Well, it seemsthe tide has sort of gone out (or at the very least receded) on the NW movementfor the moment. It's time we stop trying to sink the other guy's boat, andbegin concentrating our efforts on creating a critical NW mass that will causean ever-rising tide. It's time to unite and create a critical NW mass that cancreate not only a rising tide, but an inevitable tsunami of NW growth all aroundthe globe.

I am convinced that as NW organizations finally begin "expanding their menus"they will prove to have a great advantage over those organizations which chooseto remain mired in the kind of "right and wrong", "black and white" "us vs.them" ways of thinking that have bogged down the movement. People within the NWcommunity as well as those wishing to explore NW will be much more attracted byany organization of experts who can serve them better by introducing them to avariety of beneficial technique options. A majority of people within the NWmovement as well as those who will over time be attracted to it just want tolook, feel and function better -- and enjoy the act of achieving those goals.

There should be numerous techniques and equipment designs offered which willgive people of all ages, abilities and goals more options from which to choose.I have always maintained that there is no "right" and "wrong" way of Nordicwalking, only different ways of walking with poles that offer different sets ofresults and experiences. The wind will begin to fill the sails of the NWmovement again as soon as those of us already in the Nordic walking movementbegin to focus on better serving the community whose passion will make themovement grow -- by opening their minds, expanding their knowledge base andwidening their NW menu options.

It is my hope that discussion within the community of existing passionate Nordicwalkers will soon shift from those which focus on minutia regarding whichtechniques, equipment and philosophy of Nordic walking should reign supreme, toways in which we can all begin to come together to urge any person who wishes toenjoy the maximum health and fitness benefits of walking to explore how Nordicwalking (in any accepted form) can greatly enhance everything about theexperience.

I do think it is healthy for all involved inside and outside the movement tojoin in warning "newbies" against buying cheap, potentially dangerousexploitation poles from mass marketers who want nothing but to profit from theNordic walking movement (an experience with poorly designed equipment will onlyserve to damage the reputation of the activity), as well as to encourage thosewho come to the activity to seek instruction from any of many qualified sources.

But let's all put aside the ongoing divisive debates about the fine details ofNordic walking in favor of joining together in a united singing of the praisesof the intrinsic value of the exercise form. I believe that when the Nordicwalking community does that, the sails of Nordic walking will once again filland it will very rapidly become the hottest fitness trend globally-- as well asfinally begin to make a very important impact on hundreds of millions of livesall around the world!"